Automatic stop-valve for hydraulic elevators.



} 1. H. VENN. AUTOMATIC STOP VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1906.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

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Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

I. H. VENN.

AUTOMATIC STOP VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

- v APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 23, 1906. 986,328.

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ISAAC H. VENN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY,OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC STOP-VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 23, 1906.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 331,713.

T all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I. ISAAC H. VENN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Stop- Valves for Hydraulic Elevators, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a valve apparatus for use in connection withhydraulic elevators, and has for its object the provision of means forautomatically cutting olf the flow of water or other motive fluid to orfrom the motor cylinder whenever the elevator car is at or near itslimits of travel, and thereby preventing any accidental overrunning ofthe car from its normal path of travel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve for the purpose setforth which will automatically operate to bring the ele vator car torest should for any reason the stop valve operating rope become brokenor disarranged.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide means which shalloperate to automati-- cally reset the stop valve when the conditions ofoperation have been restored to normal position.

Other objects of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

There are in use and on the market at the present time a number ofdevices for stopping an elevator car at or near the limits of travel,but all of these devices are objectionable, owing to the fact thatshould the stop actuating means become broken or disarranged the stopdevice at once becomes inoperative and thus creates a source of danger.My invention overcomes this objectionable feature, for, should theactuating means for operating the stop valve become broken or otherwisemade inoperative, the stop valve would at once act to cut off the motivefluid and bring the elevator to rest.

lVhile my invention is adapted to fluid pressure elevators of alldescriptions, it is particularly applicable to plunger elevators.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates my invention asapplied to a plunger elevator; Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of myauwmatic stop valve together with the main or motor cylinder controllingvalve, the casin s of the two valves being cast. integral; Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view of my automatic stop valve and the main valve asadapted to a piston or oil'- culating elevator machine; Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section through Fig. 3 on the line ab,' Fig. 5 is a sectionalview of Fig. 3 on the line c-(Z; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional viewof Fig. 5 on the line E'E looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters are used throughout the various figures.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, C denotes an elevator car withguide shoes 2 and 2 adapted to travel over the vertical guide rails 1and 1, respectively, the latter being shown as broken away portions. 3designates the operating plunger connected at its upper end to theelevator car C and traveling in the plunger cylinder 4, this cylinderbeing of such a length as to contain the plunger 3 when the same is inits lowermost position and the car is at the lower limit of its travel.The main valve 5 which controls the flow of motor fluid to and from thecylinder 4: has the usual inlet and exhaust openings at 7 and 6,respectively. 8 designates a pilot valve which controls the operation ofthe main valve The main valve and pilot valve stems are connected by thelevers 9 and 10 to a centrally pivoted lever 11 upon which are mountedthe sheaves 12 and 12. Pivoted at 32 to a bracket attached to the car,is a manual lever 15 provided with a handle 16 adapted to be grasped bythe operator. At the lower end of the operating lever 15 is rigidlyattached a lever 14: to one end of which is fastened a cable 13 passingaround the sheave l2 and over a sheave 17, whence it leads down and isconnected to the opposite end of the lever 14. A similar rope 13 isfastened to the other end of this lever and passes around the sheaves 12and 17 and is rigidly-connected to the first-named end of the lever 1%.Attached to the frame-work 18 carrying the sheaves 17 and 17 is a cable19 which passes over direction sheaves 20 and 20 mounted upon theoverhead beam 22 and has fastened to it a weight 21, the purpose ofwhich is to keep a uniform tension on the operating cables 13 and 13'.Any movement of the operating handle 16 will rock the levers 14 and 11by means of the cables 13 and 13 in a well known way to operate thepilot valve 8 which will cause the main valve to regulate the inflow oroutflow of motive fluid to or from the power cylinder 1 by the pipe 31.

cylinder 4 and thereby effect the lifting or lowering of the car.Attached to the top of the car C at 23 is a cable 2% which after passingover the direction sheaves 25 and 26 mounted on the overhead beam 22, isconnected to the counterweight 27.

The foregoing description applies to an ordinary form of plungerelevator system and contains nothing new or novel in the art.

Attached to the main valve 5 by the pipes 28 and 29 is an automatic stopvalve 30 which in turn is connected to the plunger All motor fluidpassing to or from the cylinder 1 must of necessity pass through thestop valve 30 and pipe 31. To the upper end of the stop valve stem 33 isattached a rope or cable which passes up through the elevator hatchwayand over the direction pulleys 35 and 35 mounted on the overhead beamAfter passing over the pulley 35 the cable 3% leads down the hatchwayand under the direction pulleys 4L1 and 11 which are located at or nearthe bottom of the elevator well. The free end of the cable 3% isfastened to the weight 12 which latter is connected to the lower stem 13of the stop valve 30.

Near the upper end of the hatchway is a small lever 36 pivoted at 37,the opposite end being fastened to the stop valve cable 34 at the point50. Near the lower end of the hatchway is a similar lever 18 pivoted at17 and carrying a roller 49 on one end, the other end being fastened tothe cable 3 1 at 51. Between the fixed pivot point 17 and the connection51 is fastened at a. suitable point such as 16, a cable M which has connected at its lower end a weight 45. Normally this weight A5 rests onthe bottom of the hatchway or is supported from underneath in some othersuitable manner. Preferably the right-hand portions of the levers 36 and16 are horizontal .as shown.

Mounted upon the car are two cams or wedge-shaped pieces 40 and 30.These cams are similar in shape but are mounted reversely with respectto each other and in substantially parallel planes; that is, the cam 40is shown as being behind the cam The roller 33 carried by the lever 36placed in such a position as to be engaged by the cam 39 when theelevator car ap proaches its upper limit of travel. Similarly the cam 40engages the roller 49 when ever the car nears its lower limit of travel.The cams and rollers are so set or placed with respect to each otherthat the proper cam will engage its corresponding roller, only.

The cylindrical lining or shell 66 in which the valve 66 operates isprovided with passages or ports 541, 0.) consisting of perforations oropenings through the shell. By reference to Figs. 2 and 1-, it will beseen that 1 some of these perforations communicate with passages 28, 29leading to similar ports 52, 53 in the main valve cylindrical lining 56,while others communicate with similar passages leading to the pipe 31.As indicated in said figures, direct communication between the pipe 31and the main valve cylinder is out 011 except through the shell 66, asthe walls or partitions shown in Fig. :1: extending inwardly to theshell 66 cut off direct communication between the passages Q9, 28 andthe corresponding passages leading from said shell to the pipe 31. Itwill thus be seen that with the valve 66 in its intermediate position,if the main valve 56 is lowered communication will be established fromthe supply pipe 7 through the port 53, passage 29, port and cylinder 66,and thence to the pipe 31. If the main valve 56 is lifted above itscentral position. the port will be open and communication establishedbetween the exhaust pipe 6 and the pipe 31. If the valve 66 is movedupwardly, it will close the port 54, and if lowered it will close theport 55. The pipes 28 and 29, Fig. 1, are simply a modified form of thepassageways 28, 29 between the main valve and the stop valve.

The parts during normal operation are in the position shown in Fig. 1,the stop valve 30 being in an intermediate position and establishing anunobstructed passage for the motor fluid to and from the cylinder 4. Thestop valve 66 when moved upwardly from its normal or intermediateposition, closes all communication between the pressure supply pipe 7and the plunger cylinder at; similarly when the stop valve 66 is moveddownwardly all connnunication between the exhaust pipe 6 and the plungercylinder 1 through pipe 31 is cut off.

Assuming that the operating handle 16 has been moved by the elevatorattendant. in a direction to effect the lowering of the car, the pilotvalve 8 will operate to efiect the opening of the main valve 5 andestablish ccnununication between the plunger cylinder fl: through thepipe 31, stop 'alve 30 and pipe 23, and the exhaust pipe 6. The car 0together with the plunger 3 is considerably heavier than thecounterweight 27. There fore the motor fluid with which the cylinder 4:is filled will be forced out through the exhaust pipe 6 and the car willdescend. As the car moves downwardly and approaches its lower limit oftravel, the cam l0 will engage the roller 49 and upon any furtherdownward movement the roller will be moved downwardly causing the leverarm 48 to move upon its pivot 17 and thus exert an upward pull. upon thetables 3-1 and M which are rigidly attached to it. An upward pull uponthe "able 3% at the point 51 will exert a downward pull upon the stopvalve stem 1-3 to which it is attached. This action is assisted by theweight 42. The stop valve will therefore be gradually closed as the carmoves downwardly, thereby cutting oil? the flow of exhaust fluid, andsince there is now no outlet for the exhaust, the plunger andconsequently the elevator car, are brought to rest. The upward pull uponthe cable 44 causes the weight to be raised a short distance. Thisweight 45 is considerably heavier than the smaller weight 42. It now itis desired that the car be lifted, the handle 16 is actuated by theoperator to the other side; as before the pilot valve will -ause themain valve to move and supply motive fluid to the plunger cylinder 4from the pressure supply pipe 7. This fluid can pass through the stopvalve 30, the exhaust only being closed. As the fluid finds its way intothe plunger cylinder the car is raised and the weight 45 will act toreturn the stop valve stem to its intermediate position as the cam 40 iscarried out of engagement with the roller 49. When the weight 45 finallyrests upon its support, all of the parts will have returned to normalconditions. The elevator car may proceed upwardly until when near itsupper limit of travel, the cam 39 will engage the roller 38 carrying itupwardly and causing the lever arm 36 to swing about its fixed pivot 37and thereby exert a downward pull upon the cable 34, the-weight 45 inthis instance exerting no influence whatever. A downward pull upon thecable 34 at the point will cause the stop valve stem to be raisedagainst the action of the weight 42. This will operate the stop valve togradually cut off the supply of fluid to the plunger cylinder andthereby prevent any further upward movement of the elevator car. Thecar, however, is free to descend again since the exhaust passage throughthe stop valve is open, it being merely necessary to move the operatinghandle 1.6 to a position corresponding to such downward movement; themain valve being moved so as to allow the motive fluid to escape fromthe plunger cylinder. As the car descends, the cam 39 will move awayfrom the roller 38 and the weight 42 is now enabled to return the stopvalve to its normal operating conditions. Thus it is readily seen thatwhenever the elevator car tends to travel beyond its normal limitseither up or down. the stop valve 30 will automatically operate to bringthe ear to rest and thereby effectually prevent any of the numerousaccidents that may happen from this cause alone.

Should for any reason the cable 34 become broken or unduly stretched,the weight 42 would at once pull the valve stem 43 to its lowermostposition thereby placing the stop valve 66 and the safety *alve 65 insuch positions that the flow of motive fluid would be &

to restand could not be again operated until the able 34 was repaired.

By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the preferred construction of myautomatic stop valve is clearly shown. In this figure instead of havingthe main valve connected to the stop valve by the pipes 29 and 2-8 as inFig. 1, they are cast integral, the passages 529 and 28 having the samefunctions as the pipes 29 and 28, respectively. The main valve 5 isshown as a diflerential valve, the cross-sectional area of the cylinder58 being greater than that of the cylinder 59. Both the main valve andthe stop valve adjacent are shown in their normal inoperative positions.The pilot valve is not shown, it being well known in the art and henceneeds no description. The stop valve stems 33 and 43 are continuationsof each other and have mounted upon them two cylinder valves 65 and 66.The pipe 31 which leads to the plunger cylinder is connected to achamber which leads through the valve ports 54 and to the ports and 52,respectively, these latter leading into the main valve cylinder 59 andbeing under the control of the main valve piston 56. A safety 'alve ismounted on the valve stem 33 and is adapted to close a passage betweenthe port 53 and chamber 60 when in its extreme lowermost position.Ordinarily the valve 66 operates to close the passages or ports 54 and55, but when the rope 34 breaks the valve 65 closes the ports 54 and thevalve 66 closes the ports 55. When the stop valve cable 34 causes thevalve 66 to move downwardly, the latter closes the ports 55 and therebycloses the passage to the exhaust pipe 6 through the main valve cylinder59 and the port 52, the main valve at this time being up to connect theexhaust pipe 6 with the port 52. In a similar manner when the stop valverod is raised by the car reaching its upward limit, the ports 54 will beclosed by the stop valve 66, thereby cutting off the pressure supply tothe plunger cylinder through pipe 7 and the valve port Should the stopvalve rod 43 be moved to its extreme lowermost position, as in the eventof the valve cable 34 becoming broken, the valve 66 will close theexhaust port 52 and the valve 65, which is under ordinary cir cumstanccsnot brought into use, will close the supply port 53. This will block thecylinder pipe 31, preventing both the admission and escape of motivefluid from the plunger cylinder and thereby at once stopping theelevator car from further movement in either direction.

Fig. 3 illustrates my improved automatic stop valve in connection with amain valve adapted to a hydraulic elevator of the circulating type, thestop valve being the same cut ofl both to and from the plunger (ylinderl in construction and operation as heretofore,

4. Thus the car would be instantly brought the only change being in themain valve. In Y a patent to Venn and Smith, ga -114,610, granted Nov.5, 1889, for an improvement in hydraulic valve apparatus is fullydisclosed a main valve similar to that shown in Fig. 3 of thisapplication. By reference to this patent and to Figs. 3, 1, 5 and 6 ofthis application, the operation of this valve can be readily understoodwithout detailed description here. In Fig. 6 is illustrated a re liefvalve 61 in the circulating pipe 6st. A similar arrangement is disclosedin my Patent, No. 685,231, granted Oct. 22, 1901, for an improvement inautomatic stop valves for hydraulic elevators. The stop valve in thisinstance is connected between the main valve and the motor cylinder, 31designating the port or passage between the stop valve mechanism and thesaid cylinder. \Vhen the car ascends the supply port 7 is open throughthe main valve and when the car approaches its upper limit of travel thestop valve 66 closes the port To prevent too sudden stopping of thehydraulic cylinder piston, the relief valve 61 operates when the supplyis cut oflt. hen the main valve is moved downwardly the car may descendwhile the motor fluid circulates through the pipe 6 1. That is, when themain valve is moved upwardly the pressure supply pipe 7 communicatesdirectly with the circulating pipe 6% above the relief valve 61 asindicated in Fig. 6. Pressure is therefore exerted on top of the pistonin the hydraulic cylinder to effect an upward movement of the car. Atthe same time that the main valve is opened the passage 52 is opened tothe exhaust pipe 6 thus allowing the fluid beneath the piston in thehydraulic cylinder to escape while the car is ascending. Now when thecar approaches its upper limit of travel, the stop valve 66 will bemoved downwardly automatically to close the exhaust passages and bringthe motor piston and car to rest. The main valve 67 is a cylindricalthrottle valve fixed to the valve stem 68 by means of spiders so thatthe fluid may pass through this valve. The stop valve 66 is preferablyof similar construction. On the downward movement of the valve 67 thesupply pipe 7 is opened directly to the circulating pipe 6t and thenceabove the cylinder piston. The valve 56 at the same time opens the port53 to the upper passage of the stop valve casing through the port (A andthence through the pipe 31 to the lower side of the cylinder piston. Itwill therefore be evident that when the main valves 67 and 56 are thusmoved to their lower positions the car may descend by reason of itsunbalanced load, the fluid circulating through the pipe 6 1, valves 67,56, ports 5% to pipe 81 and the cylinder below the piston, anyvariations of displace ment being taken up by the supply from the pipe7. lVhen the car reaches its lower limit of travel the stop valve 66must be moved upwardly to cut oi the circulation and automatically stopthe car. This necessitates a reverse arrangement to that of the plungerelevator system in Fig. 1, and can be accomplished by the use ofdirection sheaves, the weight 42 remaining connected to the lower end ofthe stop valve stem to effect a closure of both passages in the stopvalve casing if the limit stop cable should break, and thus stop the carand prevent movement thereof until the cable is repaired.

Obviously, various changes in the details and arrangement of parts maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention and I desire therefore not to be limited tothe precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an elevator,the combination with an automatic stop valve, of a weight normallysupported in a stationary position, an actuating device in position tobe operated upon by the car or a part carried by the car, andconnections between said actuating device and the weight for lifting thelatter when said device is operated, and a flexible connection extendingfrom said actuating device to said stop valve for operating the valvewhen said device is actuated.

2. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve of aweight, an actuating device connected to said weight, a con nectionbetween one side of the valve and said actuating device, and aconnection between the other side of said valve and said actuatingdevice.

3. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of aflexible connection between the two sides or ends of said valve, one ormore actuating devices connected to said flexible connection, and aweight on a fixed support connected to said flexible con nection to holdthe valve in normal position.

1. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of aweight connected to said valve tending to close the same, a rope orcable connecting the ends of the valve, actuating devices for saidcable, and an additional weight overcoming the action of the first-namedweight to hold the valve normally in open position.

In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of aweight connected to one end of said valve and tending to close the same,acable connecting the ends of said valve, pivoted levers having one armof each attached to said cable, and an additional weight connected tosaid cable and normally holding the valve open against the action ofsaid first-named weight.

6. In an elevator, the combination with a car, motor and controllingmeans, of an automatic stop valve, a weight tending to 7 closing of thevalve.

7. In an elevator, the combination with a car, motor and controllingmeans, of an automatic stop valve, a cable connecting the ends of thevalve, a weight to close the valve if the cable should break, anadditional weight connected to said cable to hold the valve normally inopen position against the action of the firstnamed Weight, camsconnected to the car in planes parallel to each other, and levers havingone arm of each connected to said cable and the other arm arranged inthe paths of movement of the respective arms.

8. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, motor andcontrolling means, of a casing having separate passages connecting themotor and controlling means, a single valve for controlling saidpassages, and means operated by the car for actuating said valve.

9. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, motor andcont-rolling means, of a stop valve device having a plurality ofpassages, a single valve for controlling said passages, and meansoperated automatically by the car for actuating said valve.

10. In a hydraulic elevator, the combina tion with a car, motor andcontrolling means, of a reciprocable throttling valve, a casing forsaid. valve having a supply passage and an exhaust passage controlled bysaid valve, and automatic limit stop apparatus operated by the car toactuate said valve to one of its closed positions.

11. In an elevator, the combination with main valve apparatus, of anauxiliary valve, a casing for said auxiliary valve having a supplypassage and an exhaust passage controlled by said auxiliary valve,operating means for said valve, and an additional valve for closing oneof said passages while the auxiliary valve closes the other passage uponthe operating means becoming deranged.

12. In a hydraulic elevator, the combina tion with a car, motor andcontrolling means, of a stop valve, a casing therefor having a supplypassage and an exhaust passage controlled by said valve, means operatedby the car for actuating said valve to effect a stop ping of the car atthe limits of its travel, and a safety valve connected to said stopvalve and co-acting therewith to close both of said passages upon saidvalve-operatingmeans becoming ineiiective.

13. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, hydraulic motorand controlling means, of a stop valve, a casing for said valve having asupply passage and an exhaust passage between said motor and controllingmeans, a safety valve, a valve stem rigidly connecting both valves, 21cable connecting the ends of the valve stem and passing up and down theelevator well adjacent the car, a lever mounted on a fixed pivot at ornear the upper limit of travel of the car and attached to said cable, anadditional lever similarly mounted and connected near the lower limit oftravel of the car, cams carried by the car and reversely arranged indifferent planes to strike the respective levers and effect theactuation of the cable and the closing of one of said passages by thestop valve, a movable weight connected to said cable and normallyresting on a fixed support, and an additional weight connected to thevalve stem to actuate both valves to eli'ect the closure of bothpassages and the stopping of the car if the cable should break.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC I-I. VENN.

WVitnesses HYATT L. GAnmsoN, CAMPBELL Soo'r'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

